Microorganism detection apparatus

Abstract

Provided is a microorganism detection apparatus including a body, a sample accommodator module provided in the body to accommodate a sample, a beam irradiation module for irradiating a beam to the sample, a sensor module for detecting speckles generated when the beam irradiated to the sample is scattered due to motion of bacteria or microorganisms included in the sample, and a controller for controlling the beam irradiated from the beam irradiation module, and storing and analyzing images detected by the sensor module, wherein the sample accommodator module includes a sample accommodation block having a sample hole capable of accommodating a container containing the sample, and a heater for supplying heat to the bacteria or microorganisms in the sample at a preset temperature.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A microorganism detection apparatus comprising:
 a body; 
 a sample accommodator module provided in the body to accommodate a sample; 
 a beam irradiation module for irradiating a beam to the sample; 
 a sensor module for detecting speckles generated when the beam irradiated to the sample is scattered due to motion of bacteria or microorganisms comprised in the sample; and 
 a controller for controlling the beam irradiated from the beam irradiation module, and storing and analyzing images detected by the sensor module; 
 wherein the sample accommodator module comprises: 
 a sample accommodation block having a sample hole capable of accommodating a container containing the sample; and 
 a heater for supplying heat to the bacteria or microorganisms in the sample at a preset temperature, 
 wherein the sample accommodation block is made of aluminum, and 
 wherein the sample accommodation block comprises: 
 a block body; 
 a first block surrounding at least a portion of the block body; 
 a second block surrounding at least another portion of the block body; 
 an irradiator accommodator provided at a side of the sample accommodation block and connected to the sample hole to accommodate at least a portion of the beam irradiation module; 
 an image detector provided at another side of the sample accommodation block and connected to the sample hole to allow the sensor module to detect an image scattered by the sample, and 
 wherein the irradiator accommodator comprises: 
 a first irradiator hole provided in a side surface of the block body in a hole shape into which an end of the beam irradiation module is inserted; 
 a second irradiator hole provided at a side of the first block to surround a lower side of a portion of the beam irradiation module; and 
 a third irradiator hole provided at a side of the second block to correspond to the second irradiator hole and surround an upper side of the portion of the beam irradiation module. 
 
     
     
       2. The microorganism detection apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the heater uses a Peltier element or resistance heating. 
     
     
       3. The microorganism detection apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the beam irradiation module comprises:
 a light source for generating the beam; 
 a beam transferring medium for transferring the beam generated by the light source; and 
 a beam emitter for irradiating, to the sample, the beam transferred by the beam transferring medium. 
 
     
     
       4. The microorganism detection apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the light source comprises a laser capable of irradiating a beam of a certain wavelength, and
 wherein the beam transferring medium comprises an optical fiber. 
 
     
     
       5. The microorganism detection apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein a plurality of sample holes are provided in the sample accommodator module to accommodate a plurality of containers containing samples, and
 wherein the beam irradiation module further comprises a beam splitter for splitting the beam generated by a single light source, for a plurality of beam emitters. 
 
     
     
       6. The microorganism detection apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the sample accommodator module further comprises a ball plunger inserted into the sample accommodation block to press at least a portion of the container and fix the container to the sample accommodation block when the container is inserted into the sample accommodation block. 
     
     
       7. The microorganism detection apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a case comprising a cover capable of covering the sample accommodator module not to expose the sample to an external environment when the container is put in the sample accommodator module for a test. 
     
     
       8. The microorganism detection apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the container is provided in an overall pillar shape having a top opening and a bottom surface, and comprises a beam entering part corresponding to the beam irradiation module and a beam receiving part corresponding to the sensor module, wherein the beam entering part and the beam receiving part are misaligned to amplify the speckles generated by the beam irradiation module and detected by the sensor module. 
     
     
       9. The microorganism detection apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the controller obtains a temporal correlation of the speckles by using the detected speckles, and estimates presence of bacteria or microorganisms in the sample or a concentration of the bacteria or microorganisms in real time based on the temporal correlation.